166 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAX. 



CHAP XV. 



QVAIL SHOOTIXG, — QUAILS IX MALTA, SICILY, AXD EFSSIA. — LAXD- 

 EAIL OE COENCEAKE. — AJfECDOTE OF FEEXCH ABBE. 



In narrow compass oft is pent, 



A hero's soul, to pigmy lent. 



Than quail no braver bii-d did yet, 



Talons and beak for battle whet : 



And Greek and Roman saw with pleasure. 



Their strength the tiny warriors measxire." — Ajuon. 



" Sweeping with shadowy gust the fields of com, 

 While the quail clamours for its running mate." 



Thomson's Scaso7is. 



The common quail is not above half the size of the 

 partridge ; the feathers of the head are black edged with 

 rnsty brown ; the breast is of a pale yellow-red spotted 

 with black ; the feathers on the back are marked with 

 lines of pale yellow, and the legs are of a pale hue. 

 Except in the colour here described it every way resem- 

 bles a partridge in shape, and excepting that it is a bird 

 of passage it is similar to it in all its habits. 



It appears to be an inhabitant of almost every part of 

 the globe, and early in the last century they were 

 numerous in most of the counties of England, and are 

 still so in Ireland.* I find it difficult to account for 



* The sparrow-hawk is mentioned by the poet Chaucer, in his 

 " Assembly of Birds," as being a favourite at that time for the purpose' 



of taking quaUs : — 



" The hardy sperhauke (eke). 



The quail's foe." — £cll's edition, vol. iv. page 203. 



